1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a FAX reception notification control method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, ordering contents are often sent by facsimile (FAX). Preferably, a user who recognizes the ordering contents does the next action shortly thereafter. Hence, there is a demand to send a reception notification from a multi function peripheral (MFP) to a personal computer (PC) to enable a user to recognize the reception of a FAX document (FAX data).
According to conventional art, an MFP that receives a FAX document notifies a PC of the reception via a network (refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-158823). A user who works in front of the PC receives the notification, and immediately acquires a sheet (or an FAX document stored in a memory) on which contents of the FAX document are printed by the MFP.
Meanwhile, there is appearing a case where a FAX client-server configuration is set and used, in place of providing a FAX function to all MFPs, in order to reduce MFP introduction costs or public line contract costs. In the configuration of the FAX client-server, a FAX client without a FAX function can send and receive FAX via a FAX server having the FAX function by connecting a plurality of FAX clients without the FAX function to the FAX server via a network.
In the configuration, an address of the FAX server is registered in advance to the FAX client, and a FAX document (document data) is sent to the FAX server from the FAX client together with a telephone number of another party to be connected, via the network. The FAX server that receives the FAX document sends the data by FAX to the telephone number of another party via a public network, thereby realizing the FAX function.
On the other hand, in a case of receiving FAX, the FAX server receives the FAX document from an apparatus of another party via the public network. Further, the FAX document received by the FAX server is transferred to the FAX client by a protocol such as a simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) via the network. By providing setting information for transfer according to a condition (e.g., telephone number of another party) when the FAX document is received on the FAX server side, the FAX document is sent to the FAX client.
According to the conventional art, when the MFP for storing the FAX document receives the FAX document, it triggers transmission of a reception notification to the PC.
However, in the configuration of the FAX client-server, when the FAX client that stores the FAX document is down for some reason, although the FAX server receives the FAX document, the FAX document is not transferred to the FAX client. According to the conventional art, if the FAX client is down, a reception notification thereof is not sent to the PC. However, the reception has normally ended on the FAX server side. Therefore, the source of the FAX document erroneously recognizes that the FAX document is normally sent to another party side (FAX client on the reception side).
More specifically, the FAX client on the reception side cannot receive the FAX document, and does not send the reception notification. A user on the reception side does not consequently know that the FAX document is sent. When the sent FAX document contains contents such as a purchase order, the user delays in taking the required action for the order, thereby causing a trouble.
Further, according to the conventional art, a method of a reception notification is not described in a system having the configuration of the FAX client-server. The conventional art does not correspond to the above-mentioned case. In other words, if the FAX document is managed via a plurality of apparatuses, the reception notification of the FAX document cannot be sent to an information processing apparatus of a user.